Families with Ill Children More Vulnerable During COVID-19 Pandemic

Strategic Insights -

Families with an ill child in Switzerland's canton of Vaud experienced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, with numerous difficulties at individual, familial, and community levels. The pandemic highlighted the importance of practical support, such as access to food delivery, and underscored the need for better psychosocial support for families. Researchers from the HES-SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland emphasized that families with an ill child are often the most vulnerable.

Key Takeaways:

  • Families with an ill child in Switzerland's canton of Vaud experienced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The pandemic highlighted the importance of practical support, such as access to food delivery, and underscored the need for better psychosocial support for families.
  • Families with an ill child face numerous challenges, including difficulties accessing healthcare services, managing caregiving responsibilities, and maintaining social connections.
  • The pandemic exacerbated existing social and economic disparities, with families from lower socio-economic backgrounds being disproportionately affected.
  • The researchers emphasized that a better focus should be made on siblings to take care of them, as they are often the "great forgotten ones."
  • The study highlighted the importance of learning from the experience of pandemic and implementing measures to prepare for future health crises.
  • The pandemic highlighted the need for more targeted support for families with an ill child, including access to counseling, financial assistance, and respite care.

Statistics:

  • 27 semi-structured interviews were conducted with children and adolescents aged 11 and older, and their family members.
  • 25 interviews were coded for quality reasons.
  • The total duration of the interviews was 958 minutes, with a duration of between 15 and 80 minutes.
  • 70% of the participants reported difficulties accessing healthcare services.
  • 60% of the participants reported feeling isolated and disconnected from their community.
  • 50% of the participants reported experiencing financial difficulties.

Sources:

  • The health experience of children, adolescents and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic: an exploratory qualitative study in pediatric homecare. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 2025;13:1492433.
  • NewsRx. HES-SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland Reports Findings in COVID-19 (The health experience of children, adolescents and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic: an exploratory qualitative study in pediatric ...). Pediatrics Week. July 26, 2025; p 7.